The pet industry remains crisis-proof

2025 will be a challenging year. Economic experts assume that the growth rate will remain low in many countries this year as well. The pet industry will not be able to escape this trend entirely. Nevertheless, it is likely to develop better than many other industries this year as well. The pet industry remains crisis-proof.

In more and more countries around the world, dogs and cats are an integral part of the family. The entire pet industry benefits from this. The leading specialist retail chains continue to expand both in-store and online. Almost all of them are investing in additional staff, modern store design, digital projects and new services. Omnichannel is the common goal.

There are no signs of a crisis mood in industry either. Nevertheless, the sky is not the limit at the moment. Sales are stagnating or are only rising slightly. The consolidation trend observed last year is likely to continue for the time being. This year, too, there are likely to be a number of takeovers, with which strong companies will further strengthen and increase their market position.  

During and after the Covid-19 pandemic, products for dogs were among the growth drivers. They still are. However, a slow but steady decline in the dog population can be observed in many countries. In the USA, for example, the number of dog owners fell from 42 to 38 per cent between 2018 and 2024, according to the trade magazine Petfood Industry.

At the same time, the number of cat owners rose slightly over the same period. It is possible that this trend will continue in the coming years and in more and more countries. Cats are easier to care for because they are more independent than dogs and can also keep themselves occupied without their owners. Furthermore, the costs of keeping cats are significantly lower than those of keeping dogs. This is an important consideration, especially in the current difficult economic climate in many countries. 

Ralf Majer-Abele